Arthur g



(No Model.)

' A.-G LEONARD. DEVICE FOR UNITING CARS. v I No. 543,032. Patented-July23', 18.95.

TMW/Mw x @Mfigq UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE".

ARTHUR G. LEONARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR UNITING CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,032, dated July 23,1895.

Original application filed July l0, 1893, Serial No. 480,014. Dividedand this application filed March 9. 1894. Serial No. 503,018.

(No model.) j

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ARTHUR G. LEONARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county'of New York and State of New York,have made certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for UnitingCars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to means for uniting cars for steam-railroads, anditV relates more particularly to the class ofcar-uniting mechanismsshown in an application for Letters Patent of the United States which Ifiled on July 10, 1893, Serial No. 480,014, the present applicationbeing substantially a division of said application, wherein the featuresof the invention hereinafter set forth and claimed were shown anddescribed but not specifically claimed.

My invention relates to means for increasing the safety ofrailroad-trains by more firmly uniting the cars together than has beenpracticed before my invention for uniting cars, by which means thecar-bodies are held in their proper relative positions and the amount ofmovement of one car with relation to an adjoining lcar is greatlyreduced, the effect being to cause the cars to retain a substantiallynormal level under the varying conditions of travel.

In my said invention set forth in said application I employ, among otherthings,.a friction-plate at the end of the car, which plate is pressedforward by devices actuated by hydraulic mechanism, and I so arrange theparts that the draw bar or hook will have movement coextensive with themovement of said friction-plate, and the `object of my present inventionis to providel means for maintaining the friction-plate and draw-bar intheir projected and retracted positions.

To this end my invention consists in means for rigidly uniting thefriction-plate-actuating devices and the draw-bar when desired, so thatthere will be no individual or independent movement of thefriction-plate with .relation to the draw-bar.

The invention further consists in the novel details of improvement andthe combinations of parts that will be more fully set forth, and thenpointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming parthereof, wherein-v Figure 1 is a plan of a detached portion of one end ofa car, showing the application of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal elevation on the line w win Fig. l and on the same scale asthat figure.

In my present invention I have shown a structure to which my improvementis spe-l the forward end of the platform is defined by the buffer-beaml, which in this case, as in the usual practice, is as wide as the car,and at a certain distance to the rear of the buffer-beam lies the frontor cross door-sill 2.

Betweenv the door-sill at both ends of the car extend longitudinal outersills3, and between the cross or door sills at each end of the carextend the inner longitudinal sills 4 5 6, the sills 5 6 extending pastthe door or cross sillsto the buffer-beam, to which it is secured in theusual way, and which form part of the platform-body. Between thedoor-sill 2 and the buffer-beam extends the step-sill '7, which definesthe width of the platform proper. Below the sills 5 6 run additionalsills 8, which lie directly below the sills 5 6. The forward ends ofeach of these sills abut against or are affixed to a cross-timber 9. Asthe sills 8 are subjected primarily to the rst strainof pulling the car,as well as the strain of compressing lthe draw-bar springs, they may bebraced cation, and for a more particular and detailed description of theplatform and connected parts which I prefer to use with myimprovedcar-uniting structure refer to lny said abovementioned application.

10 indicates the friction or face plate, which is illustrated as adaptedfor a vestibuled car, but they may be of any desired shape, so long asthey are of sufficient length and have sufficient contactesurface toenable them to perform the work which is required of them.

As shown in Fig. 1, the friction-plate 10 is carried by three stems l112 13, to which stems said plate 10 is pivotally connected. Said stemsmay be pivotally connected with said frietion-plate 10 in any desiredmanner; but I have shown said plate as provided with side lugs 14, thatreceive pins 15, that also pass through said stem. The stems 11 12 13pass through the buierbeam 1, or rather through suitableopenings formedtherein. The apertures in said beam are preferably provided with aguide-casting 1G, through which said stems pass.

At 17 is shown a sill-plate that lies partially over the buffer-beam 1,and which is preferably constructed as shown, the friction-plate 42depending therefrom and extending from opposite sides thereof.

The rear end of the stein 11 is rounded ant passes through aspring-plate 1S in advance of a cross-head 19, provided at the side withears 20, which work in the guideways 2l, formed on the plate 22, securedin place within the sills G. Against the shoulder formed at theintersection of the rounded and squared portion of the stem 11 lies aspring-plate 23, cast to receive one end of a spiral spring 24, whichencircles the rounded portion of the stem 1l, and within the spring 24and about the stem 11 lies an auxiliary spring 25. Both springs abutagainst the annular part 191L on the cross `head 19. A duplex hydrauliccylinder 26 is supported and fixed in position between the sills 6 and Sby means of the straps or cross-bars 27 28 above and below thecylinders, being united together by bolts 29, which serve also to holdthe sills 6 and 8 together. The rear of the cylinder 2G abuts against aplate 30, which in turn lies up against the eross-sill 2. The upperportion of the cylinder 26 is provided with a cylindrical chamber 31, inwhich is adapted to work a suitable ram or plunger 32, the forward endof which abuts against the barrel 33 of the crosshead 19. Below thechamber 31 is another chamber 34, in which is adapted to work a suitableram or plunger 35, the rear end of the plunger engaging with the forwardend of the push-bar 3G. The chamber 3l and the plunger are both smallerin diameter than the chamber 34 and plunger 35; but this need not be soof necessity, and both plungers may be provided with suitable packing,if desired.

The chambers 31 and 34 have a communieating-passage 37 formed in thecylinder 26,

from which lead ports 38 39 into the chambers 3134 respectively, andopposite the port 39 is tapped a hole into which a pipe 40 enters,suitable plugs being used for closing up the ends of the channel 37.This simply illustrates the method of making the channels and ports inthe cylinder, they having been drilled instead of being formed bycasting. Said cylinder may be further supported and the other partsconstructed as particularly set forth in my above-mentioned application,if desired. The pipe 40 leads to a force-pu|np supported in any desiredposition (preferably within the car) and of any desired construction andconnected with a suitable tank containing water and othersuitable fluid,and for a full description of a suitable arrangement for this purpose Irefer to my application above mentioned.

At 42 is the draw-bar supported in any desirable way, as by a bracket42, carried by the beam 9, the rear end of which, in the instance shown,is constructed of two plates 43, arranged to move in a suitable guidewayand against the action of springs in any desirable manner, or,preferably, as follows: A housing 44, that is pivotally connected by apin 45 with the push-bar- 36 and draw-bar 42, contains springs 4G thatsurround a rod 47, pivoted to the pin 45, followers or plates 48 actingagainst said springs and against abutmeuts carried by the car-sills,whereby the springs will be compressed as the draw-bar is drawn forward.The push-bar 3G has a toe or projection 49, that bears against thehousing 44 to reduce strain on the pin 45. i For a more particulardescription of the above-nientioned parts I refer to my said applicationabove mentioned.

At 50 is an equalizingbar that is pivotally secured to the stem 11 byapin 51, the equalizing-bar having an eye 52, through which said stem andpin pass, the spring-plate abut ting directly against the back of theeye. The equalizing-lever 50 extends through apertures formed in thesills 5, G, 7, and passes at its extreme ends through apertures 53 inthe stems 12 13 and into recesses 54 in the sills 3, as shown in Fig. 1.The stems 12 1 3 have cxtensions 55, that pass through the sill 2, andmay, if desired, be suitably supported within a draftiron havingfollowers and springs constructed in substantially the same way as shownin connection with the draw-bar or in any other desired manner. Withthis arrangement the forward or rearward movement of the stem 11 willcommunicate equal corresponding motion to the faceplate lO andequalizing-leverO, and the oscillations of the face-plate l0 on itspivot-pin 5l will communicate corresponding motion to theequalizing-lever 50 on its pivot-pin 51.

My improvement for maintaining the friction-plate and draw-bar in theprojected and retracted positions is as follows: At 60 is a strong pinwhich can be passed through an aperture in the barrel 33 of thecross-head 19 IOO lIO

and through an aperture in an upwardly-extending pillar 61 carried bythe draw-bar, and, if desired, through said draw-bar, as clearly shownin Fig. 2, theparts being so arranged that both apertures will align ata certain point in the projection of the friction-plate and theretraction of the draw-bar, and when aligned the pin 60 can be droppedinto said apertures and hold the parts rigidly together. The pin 60 maybe provided with an eye 62, so that it'can be readily withdrawn, andadditional means may be provided for holding the pin intermediate of thecross-head and the draw-bar, so as to hold each rigidly in p0- sitionand prevent the pin from being broken or sheared.

Of course the part that rigidly unites the cross-head with the draw-barcan be arranged otherwise as to details without departing from thespirit 0f my invention.

The operation of the hereinabove-described structure and the coaction ofmy present improvement therewith are as follows: Whenv the springs aboutthe stem 11 and at the end of the draw-bar are not under compression andthe cars uncoupled the friction-plate 10 eX- tends out where themovement of uncoupling had left it, and the draw-bar with itscoupling-hook has been moved to its position of rest by its springs-thatis, the face of the plate may have been moved away from the buffer-beamforwardly, and the face of the coupling-hook will occupy a planevertically, forward of the friction-plate. These positions of theface-plate and the draw-bar are the normal positionsthat is, at the timetheir springs are not compressed. When two cars are brought together bycoupling, in the structures in use at the present time, both the couplerand buffer springs receive the shock, whereas in my construction thecoupling-hooks and vthen the springs of the coupler receive and absorbthe shock due to coupling Without affecting the frictionplate springs.After the cars are coupled the forcepump is operated, which will move acolumn of Water through the pipe 40 and into the channel 37 of theduplex-cylinder, forcing out the plungers 32 35, the plunger 35 movingthe push-rod 36 and housing 44 against the forward follower-plate 48,which will rst compress the nest of springs within the housing, thecoupling of the cars not having permanently compressed the springs, andmove the opposite follower 48 against the rear abutment, and at the sametime the plunger 32, which bears against the barrel 33 of the crosshead19bringing the cross-head against the nest of springs 24 25, moving thestem 11 forward, forcing out the friction-plate 10, which, when it meetsthe opposing friction-plate on the next car, enables the springs to becompressed, the conjoint operation being such as to cause thefriction-plate of one car to push the opposingcar away from it, therearward movement of the draw-bar, by the simultane- Ous movement of theplunger 35 and its connections to the draw-bar, meanwhile pulling theopposing car toward it, which will firmly couple and unite both of theguides together and frietionally contact the friction -plates throughouttheir area of exposed surface; When the face-plate 10 isthus movedoutward by the liquid in the cylinder forcing out the stern 11, thestems 12 13 at the ends of said faceplateand the equalizingleveror bar50 will be correspondingly moved, and the connection of the equalizingbar or lever with said stem is such that when on a curve or when thefrictionplate assumes a position radial to the curve the ends of theequalizing bar or lever will strike the ends of the slots in the sidestems 12 13, enabling the plunger 32, through the springs 24 25, to keepboth ends of the faceplate in contact with the opposing face-plate ofthe 'next car, thus distributing the power applied at the center to theends of the faceplate. When the water or Huid in the duplex cylinder isunder compression, an inward movement of the face-plate will cause th efluid to flow and thus press on the plunger 35, causing the latter toretract the draw-bar, and thus the relative positions of the face-plateand the draw-bar will be permanently retained, the springs 24 25remaining under compression so long as the uid in the duplex is underpressure; but it will be understood that the springs 24 25 remain undertension and can have proper individual movement, as the fluid in thecylinder acts as a rigid vabutment behind said spring, holding themnormally un` der the initial compression.

The peculiar advantages of my improvement are that the abutting ends oftwo cars are securely united, that proper swinging motion of the 'carsis permitted, and that at all times the desired degree of pressurebetween the cars is maintained, and that pressure is applied to theface-plate at its end as well as at its center in whichever position itmay assume on account of the movement of one car relatively to theother.

When it is desired to unite the cross-head 19 of the friction-platedevices with the drawbar, said parts are moved relatively until theapertures in the cross-head 33 and pillar 61 are aligned, whereupon thepin 60 is dropped into said aperture, in which positions thefriction-plate and draw-bar will be so united as to cause one to moveconjointly and coextensively with the other. /Vhile the drawbar andfriction-plate devices are so united by the pin 60, the hydraulicdevices will not again be operated to further move the friction-plateand draw-bar until the pin 60 has been withdrawn from its apertures.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is A 1. In a car unitingdevice, the combination of a buffer beam, a friction plate extendedtherefrom, a stem extending from said plate,

and a hydraulic device to act on said stem, with a draw bar, devicesconnecting said draw bar with said cylinder, and means for firmly- IOCnniting said draw bar with said stem, snbstantially as d escribed.

2. In a car uniting device, the combination of a buffer beam, a frictionplate extended therefrom, a stem extending from said plate, a cross headconnected with said stennand means for advancing said cross head, Saidcross head having an aperture, with a draw bar provided with anapertnred pillaror arm, and a pin to pass through said apertures tounite said parts together, substantially as described.

In a car uniting device, the combination of a bn'ter beam, a frictionplate extended therefrom, a stein connected with said plate, a crosshead connected with. said stem, said cross head being provided with anaperture, and. means for advancing said cross head, Stem and plate, witha draw bar, a pillar carried thereby, said pillar having an aperture,and a pin to enter said aperture to firmly imite said parts,substantially as described,

At. In a car uniting' device,the combination oi' a bul't'er beam, afriction plate extended therefrom, a cross head, a resilient clementbetween said stem and cross head, and means for advancing said crosshead, Stem and plate, with a draw bar, and means for firmly uniting saiddraw bar with said friction plate de vices, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 6th day of March, ISO-i.

ARTHUR G. LEGNARD.

Witnesses: l

I Hanny B. DWYER, HENRY B. WHIPPLE.

